Method for incorporating an additive into a thin film formed on a substrate

Abstract

The present invention relates to methods of incorporating additives into a thin film formed on a substrate comprising: forming an impregnatable thin film on at least one face of a substrate; depositing an impregnation composition comprising at least one additive incorporated in an appropriate diluent medium on said impregnatable thin film by spin coating; diffusing the impregnation composition within said impregnatable thin film and; treating the substrate coated with the impregnated thin film to at least partially remove the diluent medium from the impregnated thin film. The invention also relates to the application of such methods to the production of optical lenses, including in the coloring of such lenses.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A method for incorporating at least one additive into a thin film formed on a substrate comprising: 
       forming an impregnatable thin film on at least one face of a substrate;  
       depositing an impregnation composition comprising at least one additive incorporated in an appropriate diluent medium on said impregnatable thin film by spin coating;  
       diffusing the impregnation composition within said impregnatable thin film and;  
       treating the substrate coated with the impregnated thin film to at least partially remove the diluent medium from the impregnated thin film.  
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein treating the substrate coated with the impregnated thin film to at least partially remove the diluent medium from the impregnated thin film comprises a thermal treatment. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the formation of said thin film comprises the deposit on at least said face of the substrate of a precursor material by dipping or spin coating. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the precursor material of said thin film is a polymer composition. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , wherein the polymer composition is a latex. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , wherein the latex is a polyurethane latex. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 4 , wherein the impregnation composition also contains an agent for crosslinking the polymer composition. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the crosslinking agent is an epoxyalkoxysilane hydrolysate, preferably an epoxytrialkoxysilane hydrolysate. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the epoxytrialkoxysilane is γ-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the impregnation composition also contains a hardening agent. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the hardening agent is an aluminium chelate, preferably aluminium acetylacetonate. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate is an inorganic glass or an organic glass. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the organic glass is a polycarbonate glass. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the additive or additives are selected from the pigments, the UV absorbers, the dyes, the photochromic compounds and the plastifiers, preferably from the pigments, the dyes and the photochromic compounds. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate is uncoated or already coated. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate is an ophthalmic lens. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising depositing an anti-scratch coating on the impregnated thin film. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 17 , wherein the deposit of the anti-scratch coating is performed by dipping or by spin coating. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 1 , further defined as a method for the coloration of ophthalmic lenses.